queen of green

There is no evidence that antibacterial products actually do a better job than regular soap in a household setting. So avoid them UNLESS you work in a hospital.

Why? Overuse of antibacterial ingredients — like triclosan — is helping create superbugs. Our increasing obsession with avoiding germs could actually be making us sick.

What is triclosan?

Triclosan is used in cleansers, antiperspirants/deodorants, toothpastes and hand sanitizers as a preservative and anti-bacterial agent. It’s toxic to fish and wildlife and may be an endocrine disrupter, i.e., interfere with hormone function. It’s best avoided, which can be tricky because it seems like it’s in everything — soaps, countertops, garden hoses, garbage bags, socks, laundry products, facial tissues and more.

How to shop smarter

Avoid anything labelled “anti-bacterial”.

Avoid triclosan in the ingredient list.

Avoid parfum (a.k.a fragrance). Some fragrance ingredients can trigger allergies and asthma. Some are linked to cancer and neurotoxicity. Some are harmful to fish and other wildlife.

Choose bar soaps — a U.S. study found triclosan in 76 per cent of liquid soaps and only 29 per cent of bar soaps (American Journal of Infection Control, 2002).

If you live or work with children, non-toxic disinfectants are even more important. Kids are not miniature adults — kilogram for kilogram they absorb more chemicals. They’re closer to the ground and they have an “exploratory nature” — they put everything in their mouths!

Germ killing DIY recipes

One way to get off the antibacterial crazy train — make your own soap, hand sanitizer, cleaner and disinfectant!

Mix and store in a squeeze bottle. Keep a batch in your diaper bag, child’s backpack, at your desk or in your purse or car.

All-purpose spray cleaner

Mix equal parts white vinegar and water

Optional: add 3 to 5 drops of thyme essential oil

Add to a spray bottle. Use it to clean your home — wipe down countertops, keyboards, doorknobs, etc.

Acetic acid (white vinegar) is a great disinfectant, deodorizer and grease cutter. It tackles salmonella (some strains), E. coli and other “gram-negative” bacteria that can cause pneumonia, meningitis and bloodstream, wound or surgical site infections.

The acid in vinegar crosses the bacteria cell membrane and prompts a release of protons that kills the cell. Heinz unveiled a “cleaning” version of its white distilled vinegar — instead of five per cent acetic acid, it has six. Some “eco” stores sell a 12 per cent solution. Simply heating vinegar can also boost its power.

Unlike chlorine bleach, hydrogen peroxide breaks down into oxygen and water and is kind to the environment. Did you know eco or oxygen bleach is really diluted hydrogen peroxide?

On their own, vinegar and hydrogen peroxide are each strong germ killers. Used in combination, they’re even better — 10 times more effective than disinfecting with either substance alone and more effective than bleach in the kitchen.

Here’s the catch: mixing them together cuts their germ-killing power, but using one after the other works well.

Germ killing DIY recipes

One way to get off the antibacterial crazy train — make your own soap, hand sanitizer, cleaner and disinfectant!

Mix and store in a squeeze bottle. Keep a batch in your diaper bag, child’s backpack, at your desk or in your purse or car.

All-purpose spray cleaner

Mix equal parts white vinegar and water

Optional: add 3 to 5 drops of thyme essential oil

Add to a spray bottle. Use it to clean your home — wipe down countertops, keyboards, doorknobs, etc.

Acetic acid (white vinegar) is a great disinfectant, deodorizer and grease cutter. It tackles salmonella (some strains), E. coli and other “gram-negative” bacteria that can cause pneumonia, meningitis and bloodstream, wound or surgical site infections.

The acid in vinegar crosses the bacteria cell membrane and prompts a release of protons that kills the cell. Heinz unveiled a “cleaning” version of its white distilled vinegar — instead of five per cent acetic acid, it has six. Some “eco” stores sell a 12 per cent solution. Simply heating vinegar can also boost its power.

Unlike chlorine bleach, hydrogen peroxide breaks down into oxygen and water and is kind to the environment. Did you know eco or oxygen bleach is really diluted hydrogen peroxide?

On their own, vinegar and hydrogen peroxide are each strong germ killers. Used in combination, they’re even better — 10 times more effective than disinfecting with either substance alone and more effective than bleach in the kitchen.

Here’s the catch: mixing them together cuts their germ-killing power, but using one after the other works well.

DIY recipes to help combat colds and flu was last modified: November 28th, 2015 by Lindsay Coulter

DO NOT rake your leaves! (Because butterflies begin in leaves, as larvae.)

Those brown, dead leaves are the planet’s butterfly nursery. They’re home to butterfly larvae, microbes and worms. And leaf litter is where many species ofbutterflies and moths overwinter as pupae. Animals like toads, shrews and salamanders benefit from leaf litter to hide and hunt, too.

This fall, let your rake collect only dust.

Can’t leave all of your leaves where they fall? Here are a few other ideas:

Mulch leaves in your planter beds

Does your homeowner’s association have something against leaves? Rake leaves off the lawn and into your planter beds.

In 17th century England, only rich landowners had lawns (a monoculture of short, manicured grass). Work once done by sheep increasingly shifted to human labour, especially closer to the house. Before lawnmowers, only a few could afford to hire people to scythe and weed their grass.

A rain garden helps minimize the problem of storm water runoff — hundreds of litres of rainwater streaming off hard surfaces like roofs, roads and driveways. For example, shallow beds 15- to 30-centimetres (six- to 12-inches) deep filled withnative plants will filter up to 90 per cent of pollutants. Rain gardens also allow water to drain deep enough into the soil to help recharge groundwater supplies. Find more tips to design your very own rain garden.

Plant a tree

A team of researchers (including the David Suzuki Foundation’s own Faisal Moola) found that 10 more trees on a city block has self-reported health benefits comparable to a $10,000 salary raise (so you can feel richer without showing off your lawn), moving to a neighbourhood with a $10,000 higher median income or being seven years younger.

The study, conducted in Toronto, also found that people who live on a tree-lined block are less likely to report high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease or diabetes.

Xeriscape

It’s a fancy word for water-wise gardening. Use up to 50 per cent less water byxeriscaping or landscaping with native plants better adapted to your area. Our yards can become a lot more like the nature once was.

A variety of front yard landscaping options await you! How have you transformed your yard?

Sincerely, Lindsay Coulter
A fellow Queen of Green

How to get your yard off grass was last modified: July 28th, 2015 by Lindsay Coulter

Metro Vancouver explains how to check a toilet: “Put a few drops of food colouring in the tank. If it shows up in the bowl, your toilet is leaking water.”

Outside: Prioritize watering edibles over ornamentals and annuals

A brown lawn isn’t dead, just dormant (like a bear in winter). Metro Vancouver recommends one hour of lawn watering per week (unless, of course, it rains).

Garden hoses are the least efficient way. Use a drip system or try clay pots!

Follow your city restrictions. Water in the early morning — usually no wind and lower temperatures, so less water evaporates. The worst time to water is late evening because the lawn stays wet all night, making it more susceptible to disease.

Caught someone watering when they shouldn’t? Read this before reacting.

What’s a solution to saving water you think is underutilized?

Sincerely, Lindsay Coulter
A fellow Queen of Green

How to conserve water was last modified: July 15th, 2015 by Lindsay Coulter

I called two companies to ask what was involved in a home indoor air quality testAND the cost. Within a day, a professional showed up to walk through my house with hand-held meters to test for levels of carbon monoxide (CO), total volatile organic compounds (tVOCs), and formaldehyde (HCHO). He also took an air sample and sent it for laboratory analysis to compare mould spore concentrations inside my home to concentrations outdoors.

The $500 I spent gave me peace of mind. My home does not have dangerous levels of mould that are allergenic, pathogenic or more serious toxigenic species. Everything else checked out safe, too! Note: get a few quotes.

I also asked about mould prevention. Guess what’s likeliest culprit in my home (and probably yours)? Drying clothing indoors during winter (you know I like to save energy)!

Tip: If you dry clothing inside, run a fan. Luckily my bathroom fan is the next room over and it’s Energy Star rated. Ventilation is key!

To cultivate nature connectedness, fuel curiosity and keep plants and critters alive, we made rules.

Most children are curious explorers, so you don’t need to do much to cultivate their nature connectedness — just take them outside! The challenge is more about how to get out of their way while keeping them AND the plants and critters safe.

Ick. Ew. Gross.

These are a few words adults say about nature — in front of kids. I don’t think we even realize it.

Did I love finding a snail on my kitchen ceiling? Or an entire nest of baby spiders, on a stick, in my living room? Not exactly.

Be The First to Know

Email address:

Leave this field empty if you're human:

My VividLife, Episode 1: Equine Therapy with Jennifer Schramm

Shayne Traviss

Sometime's growth involves digging up the dirt and planting anew...
After over 20 years of marketing, promoting and producing others I've decided to open a new chapter in my life.
If you long to go higher, live a life 'all in' join me as I dive in deep sharing my life experiences, travels and inspirations for living a VividLife.

Follow Me On Instagram

About VividLife.me

Founded by Shayne Traviss formerly VividLife.me was an online resource for personal growth through over 10,000 blogs, audio conversations and videos, from thought leaders, best-selling authors and wellness experts from around the globe. VividLife.me provided engaging conversations on consciousness and human potential with Arianna Huffington, Jane Fonda and Alanis Morrissette, wisdom packed blogs from spiritual Icons Iyanla Vanzant and Ram Dass, Green Tips from David Suzuki’s Queen of Green, Advice from Award Winning Parenting and Relationships Experts, Recipes from Vegetarian, Vegan, Raw Chef’s and more… and reached and inspired over 3 million people around the globe.
However sometime's growth involves digging up the dirt and planting anew...
And after over 20 years of marketing, promoting and producing others Shayne Traviss decided to open a new chapter in his life.
If you long to go higher, live a life 'all in' join him as he dives in deep sharing his life experiences, travels and inspirations for living a VividLife.